A bright tragedy A film about life, shot without shocking, “tin” and “black”. The film, which against the background of a very unpretentious, poor and ascetic Soviet life of the 80s, shows the beauty and nobility of the inner world of the main character - Tatiana, a schoolgirl, a graduate living with her mother, sisters and a heavily drinking stepfather. Tanya with all her heart loves and regrets her mother and just as much and sincerely hates her stepfather.
It is significant that every day forced to plunge into the nightmare of violence and despotism on the part of her stepfather, the main character is not disappointed, but, on the contrary, only asserts herself in dreams of her future happy and strong family, about a strong, noble and loving husband who will never drink. The director shows the viewer how the girl notices small episodes flashing next to her, as if illustrating her ideals. On her way home, she sees a happy father playing with his children in a brightly lit window. Another time he sees an elderly married couple walking down the street, and from their touching care for each other, one can conclude about the real high feelings that they have carried through their lives.
Tatiana wants to see her ideal in the surrounding men, and she even tries to help her peers in the formation of a real male character. Equipping the game headquarters, for its design Tanya buys a picture in the store, and stops his choice on reproductions of Vasnetsovsky "Three heroes". When the painting takes its place on the wall, the girl invites the children to the ready-made headquarters. In the room run three skinny clumsy boys, they sit on an old sofa and are just opposite the picture, face to face with the heroes, three opposite three. However, the contrast is so great that the boys feel uncomfortable, and after a few seconds, without saying a word, run back into the street.
In the real men around Tatiana, we do not see this ideal of strength and nobility, height of spirit in harmony with physical strength. Here is her neighbor on the desk, Kolya, whom she clearly sympathizes with, in a small skirmish at school is able to raise his hand on the woman, which, by misunderstanding, is Tatiana herself. He does not even apologize for his actions.
Amazingly, even though the whole world is trying to bury Tanya’s dreams and dreams under the dust of grayness, mediocrity and disappointment, she continues to remain true to her ideals. Her thoughts, feelings, dreams and dreams, passing through the entire film and voiced voice-over, paint us with beautiful bright faith in a happy future.
The individual touches of non-key, background moments of the film are also indicative. Here we see a large Soviet agitation poster with a painfully familiar Leonid Ilyich, a symbol of late socialism (I disagree with the term “era of stagnation”). The corner of the tin leaf, on which the poster is drawn, broke away from the dilapidated base and rumbles under the gusts of even a small wind. The camera slides over this billboard ancestor, and we see the reverse side of advertising the Soviet “bright future” covered with solid rust.
At the school, events develop against the background of lessons in Russian and national Yakut literature, and it is felt that teachers have the same love for both Russian and Yakut literary heritage. When it comes to photos, the background of positive emotions mentioned photos taken during the celebration of the anniversary of the accession of Yakutia to Russia. It is felt that despite the fact that all the images in the film without exception have a pronounced non-Slavic (Yakut) appearance, it is undoubtedly both Russian and Yakut cinema at the same time. Something similar could happen to the Russian village of Central Russia. The names of all heroes are Russian, as is often the case with modern generations of northern peoples. I liked the careful disclosure of the national Yakut theme in this film. Only, when dubbing into Russian, subscripts of poems by Yakut poets were used. It seems to me that a Russian literary translation would be more appropriate and would additionally decorate the picture.
In the film, there are many small accents placed by the director for an attentive viewer. This is the second tenderness of Tanya literally for a second with her mother’s loose hair, and two trees growing nearby, large and small, like a mother and daughter. And the fact that throughout the film was never clearly shown the main negative character - stepfather Tatiana. Even when he closes up during a conversation in the kitchen, the viewer can only see the lower part of his swollen unshaven face.
The film can not be called easy and even more entertaining, but after watching it there is no heavy feeling of vile swamp and hopelessness, as after the untalented, but gloomy and "black" film products of Yuri Bykov. Tatiana Everstova - by the way, the namesake of the main character - shot, for all its sadness and tragedy, a rather bright film. The film leaves the viewer hope.
I recommend watching.